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Serbia Today 96-08-13
Serbia Today
13 August 1996
CONTENTS
[01] RUSSIAN WAR VETERANS IN YUGOSLAVIA
[02] NO DECISION IN BRUSSELS
[03] PLAVSIC AND KRAJISNIK RECEIVE SOLANA
[04] LONDON ANALYSTS ABOUT THE PRE-ELECTORAL CLIMATE
[05] MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THE AGREEMENT ON MOSTAR
[06] IFOR FEARS ISLAMIC TERROR
[07] "NATO IS POISONING US"
[08] REN CONDEMNS CROATIA BECAUSE OF TERROR IN KRAJINA
[01] RUSSIAN WAR VETERANS IN YUGOSLAVIA
Federal Prime Minister Dr. Radoje Kontic received the delegation
of the Russian war veterans, headed by the national hero, Army
General Vladimir Govorov, Chairman of the War Veterans Committee
of the Russian Federation. Cordial and friendly talk was also
attended by the Russian Ambassador in Belgrade Yuriy Kotov and
President of the Union of Associations of Veterans of Liberation
Wars of Serbia 1912-1920 and their descendants, the old warrior
from the Thessaloniki battle front, Stojan Svetozarevic. Kontic
pointed out at the traditional friendship and spiritual closeness
between peoples of Yugoslavia and Russia and recalled for the
distinguished guests the genesis of the Yugoslav crisis. In its
peaceful solution the decisive contribution was made by the Russian
Federation, said the Federal Prime Minister. He gave a positive
view of the renewal and promotion of the Yugoslav-Russian
cooperation after the suspension of sanctions against our country.
(Politika ekspres, August 13, 1996)
[02] NO DECISION IN BRUSSELS
Contact Group for Bosnia was discussing yesterday in Brussels
ways to strengthen peace in Bosnia after the elections scheduled
for September 14, 1996, but did not pass any decisions, Reuters
reports. High representative of the international community Carl
Bildt stated that the participants of the meeting did not express
any special concern over the growing tensions, because prior to the
elections they are to be expected. AFP reports on the stands of
Bildt and of the O.S.C.E. chief of mission Robert Frowick that
preparations for the elections in Bosnia "are developing very
well".
(Borba, August 13, 1996)
[03] PLAVSIC AND KRAJISNIK RECEIVE SOLANA
Acting President of the Republic of Srpska Dr. Biljana Plavsic
and President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska
Momcilo Krajisnik received yesterday in Pale the NATO Secretary
General Xavier Solana, Commander of NATO forces General George
Jowlvan and the IFOR Commander in the Republic of Srpska and in the
Muslim-Croat Federation Joseph Lopes. At this first meeting between
the leadership of the Republic of Srpska and the high NATO
officials, there was talk of the implementation of the Dayton
Agreement. After the meeting, Solana stated that NATO will not
allow violations of the Dayton Agreement. "At the moment, the most
important is the "question of the elections"", said Solana and
expressed hope that "everyone will be able to vote wherever they
wish", indicating at the same time that after the elections
citizens of both entities in Bosnia "should turn towards the
future". Dr. Plavsic said that the talks with the high NATO
representatives were correct. "When the approach to the problems
is such, then there are good chances for them to be efficiently
resolved", said Biljana Plavsic and added that at the meeting the
stands were harmonized regarding violations of the Dayton
Agreement.
(Vecernje novosti, August 13, 1996)
[04] LONDON ANALYSTS ABOUT THE PRE-ELECTORAL CLIMATE
During the pre-electoral activities in Bosnia-Herzegovina it is
becoming increasingly obvious that Serbian, Croat and Muslim
communities will mostly support their national politicians and
parties, which is a Bosnian reality, claim yesterday"s newspaper
analysis in london. The London "Guardian" underlines that one part
of the international community is still trying with the old model
of bias and selective information, to maintain the atmosphere of
tensions in Bosnia. The newspaper points out at the latest
statements given by the O.S.C.E. officials who are for the Bosnian
pre-electoral reality accusing only Serbs and Croats, but not
Muslims.
(Borba, August 13, 1996)
[05] MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THE AGREEMENT ON MOSTAR
Leaders of the ruling parties in Mostar, Croat Democratic
Community (HDZ) Mile Puljic and the Muslim Party of Democratic
Action (SDA) Hamdija Jahic, at their meeting yesterday did not
reach any agreement about holding of a joint session of the City
Council of Mostar, report Muslim Radio Sarajevo and the Croat
Radio. The two sides disagree both about the date, the agenda and
about convening of the first joint session of the Mostar
parliament. The Croat side is not recognizing the legality of the
first session of the City Council at which, without the Croat
representative, for the President of the Council was elected
Ibrahim Jahic. Tensions in this divided city are high again,
because the latest Muslim-Croat agreement on Mostar of August 6,
1996 was violated, for which violation the federal partners are
accusing each other.
(Politika, August 13, 1996)
[06] IFOR FEARS ISLAMIC TERROR
IFOR forces in Bosnia have raised the degree of readiness to a
higher level because of "indications that the U.S. forces may
become the target of attacks of the Islamic terrorists", reports
yesterday the Associated Press. The readiness was increased on the
eve of the weekend when the American soldiers were placing control
points on the roads throughout the country. The threats, according
to the agencies reports, refer to the forces stationed in the
territory control by the Muslims. The Commander of the NATO land
forces General Michael Walker, activated yesterday "the global
security plan", in order to protect all the IFOR members in Bosnia,
some 50,000 of them.
(Borba, August 13, 1996)
[07] "NATO IS POISONING US"
Civil defense of nine towns in the Serbian county of Doboj has
send a letter to the United States President Bill Clinton and the
embassies of the great powers of the West in which it is stated
that the NATO aircraft this summer, in this area "instead of
imposing peace, are imposing poisoning". Aircraft, helicopters and
other flying crafts taking off from the carriers stationed in the
Adriatic Sea, are dropping several types of poisons and "will
pollute our land, will destroy our crop, will leave flowery meadows
without some types of medicinal plants and herbs, will pollute
clear water". Domestic animals have become barren, birds are losing
their feather, and people are manifesting stomach pains, headaches,
aching muscles, neurosis, pneumonia, etc., reads the letter. "We
are fully aware that it is possible here to apply your "geophysical
weapons" - weapons causing earthquakes, collapse of large rocky
masses, causing of rainfalls or droughts, diversion of routes of
stormy winds, and especially taking away of oxygen", write citizens
of Doboj and inhabitants of Ozren mountain region, expressing hope
that "you will do everything in your power to put a stop to torment
of us all, us who are a part of a small people, whose destiny today
is the hardest one in the Balkans". Clinton in reminded in the
letter of the destiny of American Indians and the letter of their
chief from the vicinity of Seattle to the then-President of the
United States, Lincoln: to preserve them from destruction. Lincoln
failed to do that, he offered them in return - a reservation
(ghetto). Will the Serbs become "Indians" in their own country, on
their own land, and will Clinton be just as cruel as was his
predecessor in the year 1854?
(Politika ekspres, August 13, 1996)
[08] REN CONDEMNS CROATIA BECAUSE OF TERROR IN KRAJINA
The UN special envoy for human rights in former Yugoslavia
Elizabeth Ren stated at the press conference in Helsinki, after her
eight-day mission, that the situation regarding the respect for
human rights since her last visit has deteriorated. She underlined
that police brutality is still present, that there is a forcible
registration of voters and that there is obstruction for the return
of refugees to their homes. Ren insisted that much more must be
done to resolve the problem of missing persons and announced that
Croatia will be asked soon to provide the list of mass graves in
its territory. The remaining Serbs in Krajina who did not escape
in the face of Croat forces, are still living in fear, because
their houses are marked, and in frustration because their nearest
and dearest are unable to return to them, said Ren. She expressed
concern for the population in Krajina and especially for the
children in Krajina born under the Croat administration but living
practically without any identity. "These children simply do not
exist, officially, and therefore they do not have even the right
to health care", said Ren. After the tour of Krajina, Elizabeth Ren
demanded of Croatia to stop the killings, plunder, harassment and
discrimination of Serbs.
(Politika, August 13, 1996)
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